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Arab News reports that the Gulf Cooperation Council has decided to expel members of Hezbollah from its member states. Lebanese Shi’ites resident in the GCC are going to be pressured to show that they are not involved in Lebanese political parties, especially Hezbollah, but also the Progressive Socialist Party (comprised primarily of Druze followers) and the Shi’a Amal Movement. It seems that in addition to not wanting regional politics to interfere with the politics in the Gulf States, this action is being taken as a punitive measure, to punish those groups for their support of the Syrian regime. The move will also serve to reduce funds being sent from workers in the Gulf to Lebanese political parties viewed with disfavor by the GCC governments.

The paper reports that thousands of Lebanese workers will be affected.

JEDDAH: Members of Lebanon’s Hezbollah who are residing in Gulf Cooperation Council states will pay the price for the Shiite movement’s military role in Syria against freedom fighters.

A GCC statement, citing a ministerial council decision, said the measures will affect Hezbollah members’ “residency permits, and financial and commercial transactions.”

The statement urged the Lebanese government to “assume its responsibilities toward the behavior of Hezbollah and its illegal and inhumane practices in Syria and the region.”

The six-member bloc strongly condemned the flagrant intervention of Hezbollah in Syria and its participation in shedding the blood of Syrian people. The statement came after the Saudi Cabinet condemned Hezbollah’s “blatant intervention” in the Syrian crisis.
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I have wondered for quite a while why Hezbollah kept up the agitation against Israel long after Israeli troops left the country (I am excluding the occupation of Shebaa Farms since that has nothing to do with the reasons why Israel entered Lebanon). I understand why Syria would support this but in the long run all it has done is kept Lebanon far more unstable than it might be. Yes, they bloodied Israel’s nose a few years ago, but at a very high cost. Its a bit like what happened in Ireland when the Irish Free State was created and there was some agitation by those who wanted complete independence from Britain. Perhaps Hezbollah is correct and Israel will get wiped off the map, but if they are not, there will be an accounting at some point.

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